Strays
by Imaginary Cake
Summary: When Kosuke found Eric on the streets that day, it was just another stray added to a long list. If they were all strays, Homra was a pound, filled with animals with no place to go home to. Together, they had created a place to come home to. Mentions of Suicide and abuse, boyxboy fluff, character death, and feels. So many feels.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: Mentions of suicide, and probably some boyxboy fluff in later chapters. You've been warned, now enjoy~**

Mutt. Runt. Stray.

Eric was all three of these things.

He was a mutt. American and Japanese. Mixed-blood. He was no show dog, that was for sure. People always looked at him strange as he walked through the streets, most jumped slightly when he spoke Japanese, realizing he in fact wasn't a foreigner. He was a foreigner though. He was born in America, but his parents decided to move to his father's homeland, which was the first step to the worst years of his life. Hikawa. He was also a mutt in that way; his father being a member of the cruel gang and his mother being a relatively kind person, until her husband and Eric's father convinced her to join Hikawa that is.

He was also a runt. He'd always been thin, never really able to grow muscle. But when he was left to Hikawa's care he grew to resemble a toothpick. His owners would constantly complain about his lack of growth, complaining he wasn't tall enough, intimidating enough, or strong enough. But no matter how small Eric was, size meant nothing to his owners when they were feeling particularly cruel and lustful.

He was, finally, a stray.

He'd been abandoned, thrown to the streets and left by first his parents and then Hikawa. Eric couldn't help but fear what would happen if he were to be abandoned a third time by Homra. He didn't like to think of it.

But what Eric didn't notice was that he was surrounded by the best strays he'd ever have the pleasure to meet.

Mikoto Suoh was no mutt, and definitely not a runt. But stray, that much he could say he was. Instead of being abandoned by family, the entirety of the world seemed to have abandoned him.

Totsuka Tatara wasn't exactly a runt, and couldn't be called a mutt. Stray, that he could admit to, being abandoned by his parents in a park when he was a child.

Kosuke Fujishima wasn't exactly a runt of any sort, nor was he a mutt. Before he found Homra, he considered himself a stray, wandering around aimlessly in life after being thrown out of his home at the age of fifteen.

Chitose: Stray.  
Bandou: Stray.  
Shohei: Stray.  
Dewa: Stray.

Yata Misaki: Stray. Probably a runt too, but nobody needs to mention that to him.

When Kosuke found Eric on the streets that day, it was just another stray added to a long list. If they were all strays, then Homra was a pound, filled with animals with no home to go to. Together, they had created a place to come home to. On that day Kosuke found Eric, the mutt, runt, and stray now had a place he could call home.

When Mikoto died, the entirety of Homra was subdued. Strays that had been rehabilitated were once again thrown to the streets with no owner.

And Eric was afraid.

* * *

Kusanagi still had the bar open to all Homra members, and often times they did come by and visit, but it was never the same. Yata still had girl troubles, Bandou and Shohei still bickered, Dewa still tried to keep Chitose out of trouble (key word there is _tried_), Kamamoto still lost weight as the seasons changed, and Anna still silently watched the strange group of _friends. _Yet nothing was the same. They were merely _friends_, which was still great, but they used to be so, so much more.

Kusanagi had grown quieter, more reserved unless he was doing his job as bartender. Once again he found himself to be a stray. Eric had become closer with him, through silent, sleepless nights of sitting at the bar with mugs of tea growing cold and forgotten in their hands as they thought. They'd both sit there until eventually Kosuke would come and convince the both of them they needed some sleep. At that point Kusanagi would take the mugs into the kitchen before going to his bedroom upstairs, and Eric would go home with Kosuke.

As the two of them walked home, they would always be silent, not exchanging a word until they were safely inside Kosuke's apartment he now shared with the blond. Then, and only then, would Kosuke again remind Eric that the sky wasn't falling, the earth wasn't breaking open, and the world wasn't ending. Eric would simply nod, in his mind thinking "It might as well be ending."

On certain nights, Kosuke would walk into the bar at some ungodly hour to send the men to sleep, but instead would find Kusanagi in a drunken slumber on the couch and Eric watching one of Totsuka's videos. Sometimes, he would convince Eric that it was time to go home and put the tapes away. Other times, he would sit next to his fellow stray and they would watch every video Totsuka had recorded in his last months, not saying a word until the last video of Totsuka's death was over and their heart's wounds were reopened.

Eric and Kosuke drifted between their home, and the bar that used to be their home, neither of them going all that far from either location. They would wake up, go to the bar, stay until late, then go home and go to bed. The cycle repeated everyday.

* * *

On August 13th, the deceased King's birthday, Kusanagi left, leaving only a note on the door saying that he left the key and Anna with Kamamoto.

Eric and Kosuke both stood in front of the door, eyes fixed on the note. Chitose stood behind them, phone at his ear as he tried to contact the damn bartender, who stubbornly refused to answer.

"Where do you think he went?" Kosuke asked, question not directed at anyone but rather open to anyone who had a answer.

Eric happened to be the one with an answer.

"To find Mikoto."

Kosuke and Chitose both gaped at Eric, the phone slowly sliding from Chitose's hand. Eric simply have a pathetic chuckle of sorrow, shaking his head as he averted his eyes to his shoes.

"Uhm," Kosuke spoke. "What's that mean?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted an answer or not.

"I think we both know what that means," Eric looked his housemate dead in the eyes.

Kosuke bit his lip, shaking his head and shoving his hands deep in his pockets as he turned and stomped down the street, hands balled in fists in his pockets. Chitose looked from the blond to the redhead, trying to figure out what they were saying.

Eric simply met his eyes and shook his head.

A week later they got the call.

Kusanagi was in the hospital.

* * *

Eric and Kosuke stood outside the hospital room, talking to a doctor who was a hundred percent sure that the two of them weren't relatives of Kusanagi's. The doctor couldn't care less, as long as they cared for the patient, they were "family" enough.

A car accident.

Semi-truck VS Kusanagi's van, and I think you can tell who won.

As Eric and Kosuke were finally able to see the bartender, they could definitely tell who won.

Kusanagi was awake, having only woken up a few hours prior. Luckily his head was mostly spared in the accident, instead only suffering from broken bones and lacerations.

He was propped against a pile of pillows, his body suddenly appearing a lot less intimidating than it normally did as he laid in the sterile white hospital bed. His eyes were no longer hidden by his sunglasses, but still the two younger men were unable to see his eyes as he avoided their worried glances.

"Kusanagi-san," Kosuke broke the silence that had remained in place as they'd entered. "Uhm, Anna wanted us to bring you some candy, but Kamamoto kind of ate it,"

At this Kusanagi laughed, a pathetic sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sob. "Good to see Kamamoto's appetite'll never change," he still didn't dare look at his two fellow clansmembers.

An awkward silence fell again. This time it was Eric's turn to speak first.

"You weren't planning on coming back, were you?" Eric's voice didn't break the silence, but rather joined the silence.

Kusanagi took his time responding. "No, not exactly,"

"You would've preferred that that truck would've killed you, am I right?" Eric's eyes burned into the back of his older friend's head.

His response was silence.

Silence meant yes.

* * *

Some nights, Kosuke and Eric would just sit on the couch, hands tightly locked together as if afraid to let go. No words were exchanged, they just simply bathed in each other's presence.

So much had gone to rubble, so many people had left, the feeling of a warm hand within theirs was their only reminder that they would never abandon each other.

That night after visiting Kusanagi in the hospital happened to be one of those nights.

Eric's eyes were fixed on some point in the distance, or maybe not fixed on anything at all. Kosuke watched his housemate carefully out of the corner of his eye, trying to figure out what was going on his head.

"He was going to kill himself," Eric said suddenly, his voice once again working nicely with the silence that they were stuck in. "He never told me that, but I could see it,"

"How could you tell?" Kosuke asked, his voice not sounding as natural in the silence as Eric's did.

"He was acting like my dad did before he killed himself,"

Kosuke took a moment of hesitation before responding. "I thought both your parents died when Homra took down Hikawa,"

"My mom did," Eric's voice was empty. "My dad decided it best to join her."

"So Kusanagi decided to join Mikoto?" asked the other.

"Mikoto, Totsuka, his uncle, his brother," Eric listed off the dead. "He's lost a lot more than you might think,"

Kosuke stared at Eric, disbelief shining in his amber eyes.

"Hey Eric," Kosuke's voice was closer to the volume of the silence than Eric's had been. "How much have you lost?"

Eric smiled dolefully, the smile not reaching his eyes.

"I've lost everything,"

A moment of hesitation from the red headed stray.

"You still have me,"

A heartbroken chuckle from the blond mutt.

"No, you're something new," Eric corrected him. "You're one of the few things I've managed to gain instead of lose,"

Kosuke squeezed Eric's hand, smiling at him warmly, though a terrible ache remained at his heart.

Much like strays, they both sat.

They both patiently waited for their new owners to come and help them thrive again.

For a moment, just a moment, Eric didn't feel afraid anymore.

**Please leave a review, constructive criticism is very much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Kusanagi would be released the next day from the hospital.

The remaining members of Homra were scurrying about the bar, trying to make sure Kusanagi would return and not have a heart attack from the state of disarray they'd let the bar fall into. Kamamoto and Yata were cleaning the bar, Chitose and Dewa were in the kitchen washing dishes, Shohei and Bandou were mopping and cleaning up the tables, and Kosuke was at the store getting stuff to restock the bar.

Eric sat with Anna on the steps leading to the second floor, sitting and watching as the others worked. Yata made a comment about how Eric wasn't helping, but Anna simply gripped onto Eric's sleeve and said that he didn't have to help.

_It seems as if Anna has replaced Mikoto,_ Bandou thought as he glanced at the two of them. _But how strange it is that she would choose Eric._

Anna simply held onto Eric's sleeve, gripping the fabric as if it were a lifeline.

Eric, on the other hand, ignored the little girl. His mind was elsewhere. And it wasn't clear where his thoughts were.

* * *

_Kusanagi was going to kill himself. He was going to leave us. What were we supposed to do with him gone? How could we handle another loss? What _could_ we do? It's not like we could continue being the Red Clan, not with all of our leaders gone._

_Totsuka, Mikoto, Kusanagi. I miss them. I miss all of them._

_My mum and dad. I don't miss them._

_Mikoto, I'm taking care of Anna for you. I think she can sense I'm losing my mind. Maybe you were too, maybe that's why she's started clinging to me. Maybe she senses the similarities between us. We're both insane._

_I'm lost. I'm a stray. But so were you, Mikoto. We all are._

* * *

Welcome home.

These words were the first ones spoken as Kosuke arrived back at home with a very disoriented looking Kusanagi. The Red Clan all smiled at the bartender, all except Eric and Anna. They were the only ones- save for Kosuke- who knew what his intentions were when he left.

There was drinks passed among the clan. Jokes were exchanged and the occasional argument broke out, but Eric simply watched from the sidelines.

Kosuke noticed Eric's hesitation to join the celebratory mood, but only gave him a sidelong glance and a sad smile.

Kusanagi was given slaps on the back, smiles of admiration, words of "I'm glad you're alright." But not once was he asked why he left in the first place. For that, he was grateful. How could he explain that he left on a suicide mission? How does he tell a clansmember that he wasn't planning on returning?

At the end of the night, Kusanagi sat on the couch, half a beer in his hand. The only others in the bar were Eric and Kosuke, everyone else had left and gone home, and Kamamoto ended up bringing Anna with him.

Kusanagi leaned his head against the back of the couch, eyes fixed on a point on the ceiling. One arm was still in a sling, bandages and bruises covered the majority of his body, yet his mind still continued to torture him. Pain pumped through his veins faster than blood did. With each beat of his heart, a shock of blinding agony was sent through his body.

As Kosuke carefully took the bottle from the injured man's hand, he was reminded of the nights when Eric first joined Homra. Eric would be staring at some fixed point, not moving for a long time. He would speak in that soft tone of his, asking questions that nobody could ever possibly answer. It was those nights when Kosuke had decided Eric wasn't quite like the rest of Homra. None of the others had hearts quite as silent as his.

"Why wasn't I the one to die?" was the first nonsensical question from Kusanagi's mouth. Kosuke was about to respond as he always did to Eric, with the proper "I don't know."

But when not asking the question, Eric knew the answer.

"Because you still have something to give the world," Eric's voice melded into the silence. "Mikoto and Totsuka gave what they had to offer, but you must still have something worth giving."

At this, Kusanagi closed his eyes, his features twisting into a look of misery.

There was a long stretching silence, where only the sound of Eric's footsteps could be heard as he crept over to the couch where the bartender sat.

"I miss them..." Kusanagi whispered softly.

"I know, I do too..." Eric sat down next to him.

Kosuke swore that night was the only time he'd seen Kusanagi cry.

* * *

Eric and Kosuke wandered about the city, eyes locked on their feet as they walked.

Kusanagi had been home for about a week at this point, and the atmosphere was beginning to get back to it's normal relaxed way. But Eric still felt the tension.

Kosuke had been the one to suggest the walk, thinking it would help Eric clear his head. Admittedly, the redhead was getting worried about his blond friend. Smiles were more rare than they were in the past, and he was more stoic than his usual jumpy melodramatic self.

Also, though Kosuke never confronted Eric about it directly, he knew the younger stray had viscous nightmares. He could hear the late-night crying, he could see the weary hatred of sleep, the fear in those blue eyes as Kosuke announced it was time for bed. It was frustrating to the redhead, it was just so frustrating that there was nothing he could do to help. Well, nothing he could do without overstepping the carefully crafted boundaries the two of them had created.

So, all the fiery haired man could think to do was give Eric the chance to deflate.

They were currently walking around a park about four blocks from the bar, the sounds of chirping birds and distant car motors filled the silence between them. Eric stared at his feet, focused on the scuff marks on his shoes. Kosuke, on the other hand, was going between looking at the scenery and stealing glances at the younger man.

_When did he get so pale? And those bags under his eyes, has he been sleeping at all? He seems to be getting skinnier too. Why doesn't he realize he can talk to us-Homra? Why won't he talk to _me_? What can I do to help him? I don't know what to do. I just don't._

"Will you stop staring at me?" Eric snapped, his eyes still locked on his shoes. (_Goddamn those scuff marks._)

"Will you stop ignoring me?" Kosuke challenged in a softer tone.

Eric looked up from his shoes only to give the other man a questioning look. "I'm not ignoring y-"

"You might as well be,"

For a moment they both stopped walking, staring at each other. Challenging. Cold.

"Please, Eric, I'm beginning to worry about you," Kosuke said in a pleading tone. "You've been so introverted lately, I can't tell what you're thinking."

"_You_ don't need to know what _I'm_ thinking," Eric's cold stare turned into a full out glare. "And _I _don't need people worrying about me. I'm fine. I'm alright, okay?"

"Eric-"

"I've survived through so much worse, I'm too strong to let this kill me, I'm fine."

"Eric, plea-"

"I don't need you to baby me." Eric looked directly into Kosuke's eyes as he spat out his claim.

And then he was gone, scampering away from one of the only people who was likely to help him at that point. He went back to his old habit of running away from things that he couldn't handle.

Kosuke simply watched as he left, looking as if he wanted to call after the stray, but knowing Eric wouldn't listen to him anyway.

He'd come to regret that decision later.

* * *

It was almost midnight, and still no sign of Eric. Kosuke sat at the bar, Homra, looking completely distraught. Kusanagi tended to the bar, flashing fake smiles at the few remaining customers as he handed them their drinks. The bartender gave sidelong glances to his redhaired friend, the memory of loss and missing someone still fresh in his mind.

As the clock turned to 12:01 the door was slammed open. Kosuke looked up hopefully, finding that instead of a certain blond, it was instead Yata storming through the bar and quickly darting up the stairs into Mikoto's old room. He never goes up to the King's room, never. Kusanagi exchanged a look with Kamamoto, a silent conversation taking place between the two of them. The fatter of the two simply nodded and followed the stormy teen up the stairs, while Kusanagi quickly went over and shut the door as he calmed the customers with a half-hearted joke about mood-swings.

Dewa and Chitose carried on the joking with the customers, or more like Chitose made even lamer jokes which Dewa simply sighed and laughed lightly at. Kusanagi returned to his post behind the bar, going over to the increasingly concerned redhead. Kosuke looked up at the older man, his eyes filled with what could only be described as fear.

"Why don't you try calling him? See if he picks up," Kusanagi suggested, picking up the half-drunken drink in front of the distraught young man.

Kosuke nodded, mustering up enough energy to stand up and walk into a quieter back room of the bar.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, staring at it a moment before continuing to call. He dialed the number and held his phone to his ear, listening to the phone trying to connect.

_This is Eric. I don't want to pick up my phone, so leave a message. Beep._

Kosuke tried again.

_This is Eric. I don't want to pick u-_

Again.

_This is-_

Again.

_Thi-_

"God dammit, Eric!"

One more time.

"H-Hello?" Eric's voice poured from the phone, sounding as if he'd been crying.

"Eric! Where the hell are you? You can't just disappear like that for this long, seriously, man!"

There's the sound of someone muttering in the background, and Eric makes a noise that resembles the noise one would make when seeing someone get shot.

"Eric? Where are you? Is there someone with you?"

"N-No, I'm alone. I'm fine. I-I-"

"Where are you?"

There was more muffled muttering from Eric's side.

"Eric, where the hell are you? I can hear that someone's with you. Eric. Eric!"

"_Give me the phone, mutt... Give me the Goddamn phone! _Hey, kid," this is a very new, very unwelcome voice. It has a rough quality to it, and sounds far from friendly. "If you want this mutt to die, then go ahead and try to find us. The first indicator I get that someone's tracking us, I won't hesitate to put a bullet through this bitch's head."

"Who are you?" Kosuke's voice shook. He hated that his voice shook. Hated it.

"Nobody."

"Listen to me, who the _hell_ are you? Hey. Hey!"

All he received was a dial tone.

"Eric? Eric! Eric!" Kosuke pressed random buttons on his phone, trying to reconnect. Nothing. "Eric! Eric, please! No no no no! Goddammit!"

* * *

Eric was shoved into a box of a room, nothing more than a threadbare throw blanket occupying the cold cement floor.

His old master stood behind him, eyes trailing up and down the thin body of his found dog. He took a step closer to the blond, who tried to back away only to be met with a cold wall. His master continued coming closer until he was standing close to his mutt, too close. Eric could smell the stench of cigarettes that clung to him, he could feel each breath hit his neck.

The man's eyes shone with a cruel delight.

"Does puppy want a treat?"


	3. Chapter 3

Eric was curled into a ball in the corner of the cement room, his thin arms hugging his knees to his chest. His clothing was rumpled, his hair a mess, and the bruises that had long since faded were back with malice. The fear he'd experienced as a child had also returned, keeping him awake even though he was practically about to cry of exhaustion.

_"I'm too strong to let this kill me,__"_ Eric whispered to himself, tightening his self-hug as he tried to convince himself his words were true. He lowered his head so his chin rested atop his knees, eyes locked on the doorway his Master had gone through about half an hour before.

The total unfairness of this all suddenly struck the stray, reminding him again that none of this _had_ to happen. Hikawa didn't even need to be aware of his existence-_wouldn't_ be aware of his existence- if only his stupid father hadn't decided to move back to Japan. He could be living somewhere in the US right now, worrying about normal teenage problems instead of wondering how long he had to recover before his next round of _"Treats"._

His heart clenched at the thought, a feeling of emptiness overtaking him.

Broken cries joined in with the ever-present silence.

* * *

Kosuke, Chitose, and Dewa were all that Homra could scrape up as a rescue squad.

Say what you will about the two of them, but Kosuke trusted the both of them, and was glad that he had at least that much help trying to save his best friend from a group of thugs. Bandou had refused to come, deciding it would just be a replay of what happened with him and Shohei.

Kosuke had decided Bandou was a total ass.

* * *

As all of this occurred, Yata and Kamamoto remained in the King's room, the younger ranting to no end. Kamamoto slowly began to piece together what had happened to make the boy like this, but said nothing.

* * *

"Here, puppy, puppy," Master sang, swinging the door open with a loud squeal of protest from the hinges.

Eric's eyes widened as he tried to push himself farther into the corner. He couldn't do this. He wasn't that strong. He couldn't take this again, not again, not one more moment, no no no.

"Aw, puppy, c'mere," with each word a plume of alcohol scented breath filled the cement room. With stumbling steps, the despicable man made it over to the other side of the room, about a foot in front of where the blond huddled. "Your little friend is trying to take you from me," the man purred, a flash of annoyance flickering in his dark eyes.

Eric's heart stopped. Kosuke was looking for him. Kosuke was... he was going to save him. He...

"Speak, runt!" Master jabbed Eric's shoulder with his finger, startling the teen.

"I-I didn't tell him to, I-"

"You heard what I told him, didn't you?" the Master dug his hand deep into his pocket. Eric froze, eyes locked on that hand. "You're going to be a dead little mutt, which is a pity," the man smirked and eyed the blond's face. "You were so much fun to play with,"

Eric felt a traitor tear make its way down his cheek, ignoring his efforts to hold back any signs of weakness. His Master grinned at the tell-tale tear.

"Oh, so sad we must part, I see?"

The man shuffled closer to the teen, the stench of alcohol practically suffocating the mutt. Eric's eyes locked on the Master's cruel ones, seeing the lust in those dark holes of eyes that still haunted his dreams. A scream worked its way into Eric's throat, panic rising in him.

"We can play one more time, runt,"

* * *

Unconscious Hikawa members scattered the hallways of the abandoned warehouse the gang had taken residence in. Chitose had a pleased smirk on his face as he flicked his switchblade (a feeble replacement for his red aura) closed. Dewa sighed at his friend's theatrics, placing his bowler hat back on his head after it'd fallen off in the midst of the fight.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Maybe." Dewa began wading through the layer of knocked out men.

Kosuke stood at the end of the hall, waiting for Dewa and Chitose to stop being idiots and continue on their mission to find their blond friend.

It was then that a scream- a rather familiar scream- filled the hallways.

Kosuke was running towards the source before Dewa or Chitose could even make it to the end of the hall.

The redhead was sprinting as fast as he could, trying to reach Eric before he could make another scream like that. Down the halls of the warehouse he ran, luckily running into no Hikawa members. If he were to run into one of the gang members, Kosuke wouldn't be as careful as to make sure they didn't end up dead.

Another blood-chilling scream filled the warehouse, sounding closer this time.

This time Kosuke was able to locate where the scream had come from, eyes locking on a door at the end of the hallway. His pulse was going out of control as he darted to the door, his mind a mess of worry, and _God,_ did he wish he still had the power of the red aura._  
_

He reached the door and shoved it open, the hinges squealing at the sudden movement.

The redhead's eyes glowed with pure rage, making the normally calm, gentle man seem murderous. And maybe he was.

Okay, he was. He was very murderous.

* * *

Kamamoto had left Yata alone at this point, leaving the boy to his own devices. He knew the boy would never get over anything as long as there was someone to continue ranting to. And so Yata sat on the King's old bed, head in his hands. He could deny it all he wanted, but at that moment all the poor boy could do was cry.

* * *

Eric was a hundred percent sure that he was going to die. With his Master hovering over him, a mysterious object in the man's pocket that would be the end of the stray, and his back pressed into the cement floor, he was sure he would die.

His Master leaned in closer, the stench of alcohol taking over every sense the stray had. Dark, lustful eyes burned holes into him as he felt the despicable man begin the preparations for his "Treat".

That was when the door burst open.

The sound of a familiar shouting made Eric practically cry out with relief. His Master, however, had tensed considerably, pulling the weapon from his pocket. A knife. Did the idiot really think his pathetic knife skills would be any good against a red clansmember?

Eric's Master was disposed of before Chitose and Dewa could even make it to the room.

Bruises and cuts covered the disgusting man, and blood gushed from his nose. It was a miracle the man was still breathing, though not very well since it felt like he'd broken a rib or two. Eric had scrambled back into his corner, watching as his best friend slammed his tormentor into the cement wall. His face was twisted into a look of pure rage, beyond what his anger had been at Eric when he'd attempted to kill Totsuka.

As Kosuke allowed the man to slump to the floor, unconscious, he dropped his switchblade to the floor, seemingly astounded at what he'd done. He breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. Dewa came over and patted the redhead's shoulder, seeing if he was alright, while Chitose walked over and offered a hand to the startled blond who was still huddled in the corner.

"Let's go home," Chitose smiled warmly at the stray, who in response only stared as if he didn't understand. "C'mon, you're alright now." he prompted again, trying to get some sort of reaction.

The blond hesitantly accepted the help up, swaying once he got to his feet. He stumbled, his shaking knees almost buckling under his weight. "Woah there," Chitose gripped the blond's forearm to steady him.

By this point, Kosuke had come to his senses and remembered what he'd come for. He quickly made his way to Eric, wrapping his arms around the younger's torso. Eric froze for a moment, for this was clearly a step over the boundaries they'd unknowingly set. But instead of awkwardly pulling away, the blond simply hugged the redhead right back, laying his head on the other's shoulder and allowing a few tears to fall.

Chitose and Dewa exchanged a look. Chitose wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and even though Dewa rolled his eyes, the bowler-hatted man couldn't help but think the other two strays to be oblivious. They liked each other, maybe even love, but both of them were either too blind or two hesitant to confront their emotions.

Dewa thought them both idiots. Chitose thought their situation mirrored numerous others within Homra.

* * *

Walking into the bar later that night, Chitose and Dewa entered first, the latter holding the door open for Kosuke since he had his hands full with a certain blond on his back. It would've been a lot like the first day Kosuke brought Eric into the bar, except for the fact that Eric was still half-awake and peering at the relieved faces of the other clansmembers.

The stray was laid down on the couch, and Kusanagi, having already closed the bar, set to work patching up the poor boy.

After a while, Dewa and Chitose said goodnight and went home. The only ones remaining in the bar were Kusanagi, a now asleep Eric, and Kosuke downstairs, while in the King's bedroom Yata had fallen asleep wrapped in Mikoto's blankets.

As Kusanagi finished bandaging Eric's arm, he looked over at Kosuke who was practically falling asleep on the other couch.

"You can sleep here tonight, if you want. There's an extra bedroom now that Anna's living with Kamamoto," the bartender offered, thinking the redhead was in no shape to be walking home.

"Uh, yeah, thanks," Kosuke was too tired to refuse. He looked over at Eric, who was now a patchwork of bandages and bruises. "I'll carry him up there, I guess."

The bartender smiled faintly as the redhead carried his "best friend" upstairs, finding it cute how much Kosuke cared about the blond.

That left Kusanagi alone with his thoughts. Mostly thoughts of Mikoto, although the happy-go-lucky face of Totsuka also came to his mind once or twice. He recalled how the King and his Vassal tip-toed around each other's feelings, much like Eric and Kosuke are. He remembered the look of contentedness on Totsuka's face as he would lean on Mikoto's shoulder, the King having finally accepted their feelings weren't going to change.

Kusanagi remembered how he couldn't help but feel a little bitter towards the younger man, feeling as though Totsuka had stolen what was rightfully his. It wasn't until after the King's death that the bartender put a label on it: Jealousy.

Kusanagi loved Mikoto. Kosuke loved Eric.

Being strays, each member of the Red clan had found a home in someone else.

Love was a very strange thing.


	4. Chapter 4

It was two days later.

Eric's condition was improving.

Yata's, however, was not.

The redhead had locked himself in the King's old room for two days straight, refusing to come out. Kamamoto had tried a few times to talk to him, but had almost got hit with a baseball bat by the upset teen when he pressed too hard for information.

Eric never liked Yata much, but he didn't like the other boy acting like this. Frankly, it was depressing. The rest of Homra was noticeably subdued by their worry for the teen holed up in a dead man's room.

Only Kamamoto seemed to know what was wrong with his friend, but he was silent as of what it was that was bothering the redhead.

* * *

Kosuke and Eric sat at their apartment that night, Kosuke reading a novel while Eric played some game on his phone. They sat on the couch, Kosuke on one end and Eric on the other, although the blond had his feet in the redhead's lap. They had been sitting like that for who knows how long, a comfortable silence surrounding them.

That is, until Kosuke suddenly shut his book, not even marking his page. Eric jumped slightly, peering over at his housemate curiously.

"What did that guy do to you?" the redhead asked bluntly. Eric stared, unwilling to respond. "Sorry, I shouldn't be asking, it's just- I don't know, it makes me angry that someone could hurt you. Even more so that I couldn't protect you."

Eric simply turned his phone screen off, laying the device on his chest as he crossed his arms across his chest. He let out a sigh.

"Sorry, just forget it," Kosuke tried to backtrack, realizing the blond's hesitance to answer.

"No," Eric said softly. "It's okay, I'll tell you if you want to know,"

The redhead _did_ want to know. He waited patiently for his friend to explain. Eric closed his eyes, draping an arm over his eyes to ensure he could see only darkness.

"I was a plaything for Hikawa," Eric stated simply. "They've beaten me when they're bored, they've made me do their work when they're lazy, and they've used my body when they felt like they needed it.

"To them I was nothing. I wasn't a human being, I was simply an animal- no I was less than an animal," Eric's hands clenched into fists. "Before my parents died, they at least made me do easy tasks, chores around base mostly. But once my mom and dad were out of the picture, I was free labor. I was completely at their mercy, they could've killed me at any time."

Kosuke watched his friend closely. Eric seemed to be completely detached from his emotions, as if he were talking about something that happened to someone else. _This couldn't have happened to me, there's no way my luck is that bad, I can't have _that _screwed up of a life._

"I don't know why I thought they would just forget about me after I joined Homra. I guess I thought Mikoto took care of them after I joined, but apparently not," Eric chuckled coldly. "They're like a weed, you can uproot them as many times as you want, but leave even a little, and they'll come back without fail."

"But they're gone now, and I won't let them hurt you anymore," Kosuke promised. Eric moved his arms away from his face to peer at the redhead, seeing that he looked completely honest.

Slowly, it was as if a warm sensation spread throughout Eric's chest, making every inch of his body feel as if it were being bathed in afternoon sunlight. He almost smiled, _almost. _That warm sensation could've very well been love, but Eric wasn't willing to accept that.

"Thank you,"

* * *

The following day, Yata was still sulking about who knows what in Mikoto's room.

It was about noon, and the members of Homra were all stuck in their daily routine of teasing each other and messing around before the bar officially opened.

That was about the time a certain cold-hearted woman walked into the bar. She was wearing her Scepter 4 uniform, which alerted Kusanagi that this wasn't just her coming to the bar to have a drink and a chat. Awashima looked around uncomfortably as she realized that almost every member of Homra was present.

"Seri-chan," Kusanagi said, obviously surprised at the woman's sudden appearance. "What can I help you with today?"

Awashima glanced around the bar before making her way over to the bar.

Eric and Kosuke sat on the couches a few feet away, playing some dumb game with Shohei and Chitose. They continued their game, though each of them watched the woman out of the corner of their eyes. She spoke to Kusanagi in a hushed tone, a troubled look in her eyes that none of the Homra members had seen before. Kusanagi had a strange look on his face, as if someone had slapped him or something.

Kamamoto and Bandou, who sat nearby, had a look much like the one on Kusanagi's face. Bandou tried to get the blond woman's attention, trying to talk to her, while Kamamoto simply ran his hand through his hair with a deep-rooted sigh.

Eric watched all this with interest, curious as of what a member of Scepter 4 was doing in the bar.

After a few minutes of talking, Kusanagi beckoned for Awashima to follow him, walking around the bar and going upstairs. Within moments the rest of Homra was at the bar asking Kamamoto and Bandou what the big-breasted woman was doing there.

Kamamoto darted off and followed the other two upstairs, leaving Bandou to fend for himself against the pestering questions of his fellow clansmembers. Bandou simply sat there, waiting to speak until the rest of the clan shut up.

"It's Fushimi," is all that Bandou needs to say for all eyes to drift to the stairs, up which a certain redhead had refused to move from for the past three days.

* * *

Eric never knew Fushimi as anything more than a member of Scepter 4, having joined the clan after the teen had left Homra for the Blues. Shohei was in the same boat as he was, having never really known the ex-clansmember.

The rest of the clan pressed for more details, _What about Fushimi? Is he hurt? Did he leave Scepter 4 like he left us?_

Bandou began to explain.

Three days ago the Blue had been admitted to the hospital after a surprise attack from a local gang. With his red aura gone and his mind being somewhere else since Mikoto's death, he'd been hit by two bullets, one in the shoulder and one in the middle of his neck. Even if he lived, he had no hope of walking ever again.

Domyoji had found him and taken him to the hospital. On the way back to Scepter 4 he'd run into Yata, who couldn't help but ask why the Blue was covered in blood.

Suddenly everyone understood why the redhead had locked himself in his room.

"But why did _she_ come here?" Chitose asked, his voice approaching a tone that could be called frightened. "Do you think Fushimi is-"

"He's in critical condition." Bandou blurted, taking off his sunglasses to rub his eyes. Shohei gently laid his hand on his best friend's shoulder, a feeble attempt at comforting the pessimist.

Eric felt small hands grip the hem of his sweatshirt, and looked down to see Anna's deep red eyes staring up at him. Fear and concern shone in those eyes, reminding the blond that Anna _knew _Fushimi, and the little girl had already lost so much. Eric couldn't help but gently hug the girl closer to him.

"It's fine, it'll be fine," Eric muttered to her, knowing his words were empty but saying them anyways. As he did, the rest of Homra seemed to realize for the first time that Anna was there. Silence fell over the clan.

Before anyone could move to comfort the little girl, there was the sound of a door slamming open from upstairs. There was a ruckus of yelling, mostly from Yata and Kusanagi. A moment later Yata practically flew down the stairs, not even sparing a glance at the rest of them as he fled the bar, skateboard in hand. He was there and gone in the span of about two seconds.

Eric could've sworn he saw tears falling from his cheeks.

Awashima and Kusanagi made it down the stairs about five seconds later, Kusanagi swearing loudly and Awashima looking on the verge of tears.

"I should be going," Awashima said in a small voice that didn't seem to fit her at all. Kusanagi sighed and pulled the second-in-command into a side hug, aware of the strange friendship between Seri-chan and Fushimi. She was good at hiding it, but the bartender could tell she was hurting.

Awashima left, the bar continuing in a subdued chatter as everyone tried to act normal again. Kamamoto came downstairs a couple of minutes later, stating that he was going to go find Yata and bring him back home, which Kosuke immediately agreed to help with. Eric wanted to join them, but knew it would be cruel to leave Anna alone at a time like this.

* * *

They came back about three hours later with a tear stained Yata. Kosuke took him upstairs as Kamamoto explained how they'd found him at the hospital.

"The hospital?" Kusanagi asked, undoubtedly remembering his own visit to that forsaken place.

"He was with Fushimi," the fatso's voice dropped a few decimals in volume as he said this. There was a space of silence as he collected his thoughts. "Fushimi was awake when we got there, but we didn't have the heart to drag Yata away until after he fell back asleep."

"How bad does he look?" Bandou asked.

"I was talking to one of the doctors, they said they'd be surprised if he made it a week," Kamamoto took off his sunglasses to rub his eyes tiredly.

"I thought Yata hated Fushimi," Shohei sounded confused, having never known this _Fushimi _person that everyone seemed so fond of all of a sudden.

Kusanagi smiled wryly. "He likes for people to think that, but in all honesty, I think he misses Fushimi," the bartender explained, glad that Yata was upstairs with Kosuke, knowing the hotheaded teen would kill him after that comment. "They were really close once upon a time, although I don't think either of them really appreciated the other until after Fushimi left."

"Yata loved him," Anna stated quietly, making the rest of the clan fall silent for the umpteenth time that evening. Eric hugged the girl closer to him on the couch, feeling her shake slightly as she said it. "Fushimi loved him too, but he thought Yata didn't care about him after they joined the red clan."

"Why would he think that?" Chitose asked, having already stated his thoughts on the relationships within Homra.

"He thought Yata loved Mikoto," Anna then hid her face in Eric's sweatshirt as she always did when talking about their fallen King.

Kusanagi stared at his shoes, silently asking himself if there was anyone in Homra who _didn't _love Mikoto to some extent.

It was then that the phone rang. Kusanagi, being the owner of the bar, went to go pick up the phone, leaving the rest to talk.

"_Did_ Yata love Mikoto?" Dewa couldn't help but ask, voicing the thoughts of a few other clansmen. Anna shook her head against Eric's chest, refusing to come out of the warmth of Eric's embrace. The blond slowly stroked the little girl's hair.

Kosuke came back downstairs at that moment, and all eyes- save for Kusanagi's- were trained on the redhead.

"How is he?" Eric found himself asking.

Kosuke sighed, taking a seat next to his best friend. "He's a mess,"

"Is there anything we can do?" Chitose asked, already knowing the answer.

"I don't think so," came the expected response.

From behind the bar came a loud _BAM _sort of noise, making ever occupant of the bar jump. All eyes trained on Kusanagi, who was staring at the phone as if it were going to suddenly spout out three baby demons from its receiver. Everyone waited expectantly, knowing the bartender would at some point speak.

"Get Yata down here," was all he said. Everyone's blood ran cold at the emptiness of his voice. Nobody moved for a moment, not until after Kusanagi tugged a hand through his hair and leaned heavily on the bar. Seeing the bartender's exasperation, Dewa quickly bound up the stairs to get the redhead in question.

"What happened?" someone- maybe Bandou- asked with panic tinging the edge of his voice.

Kusanagi didn't speak, only sighing and letting his head droop on his shoulders.

"Kusanagi-san?"

"What happened?"

"Oi, Kusanagi-san, is it Fushimi?"

"What-"

Yata bounded down the stairs, Bandou hot on his heels. The redhead's beanie was missing, as was the sweatshirt he normally tied around his waist. His eyes were slightly red, a fact nobody bothered to point out.

Kusanagi stared at him for a moment, seeming to collect his thoughts. He took a deep breath and shook his head slightly.

"Get in the car, we're going to the hospital," the bartender said simply. Yata visibly tensed.

"Wh-why?" Yata asked, trying to pretend that nothing was wrong, that his best friend was fine, he was always fine, that idiot couldn't die on him, not now, not ever, no no no. He tried to act as if he weren't thinking that maybe Fushimi was dead, maybe he'd lost the only person he'd had left as a home, he'd gone fully stray. He tried to act as if the look in Kusanagi's eyes wasn't pity, it wasn't pain nor sorrow, it was concern, it had to be concern, but concern for him, not for Saru-kun, no, because Saru-kun was fine. Saru-kun was fine, he was fine, he was fine, he had to be-

"Fushimi isn't going to make it through the night."


	5. Chapter 5

Chitose sat at the bar looking through old pictures that Totsuka had taken. He'd seen pictures of Anna in blue dresses, Kusanagi with his uncle, Kamamoto and Yata yelling at each other- all memories of Totsuka's.

He held in his hand a picture of Fushimi and Yata. The date at the bottom was years prior, around when Yata and Fushimi had first joined. Fushimi was looking uninterested, while Yata had an arm thrown over his shoulder, smiling for the camera. The picture pretty much summed up the two's relationship, or at least Chitose thought so.

Yata and Kusanagi had left that night, and it was morning now. Chitose had stayed overnight at the bar with a few others, worried about the young vanguard.

Bandou sat nearest the phone, waiting for Kusanagi or Yata or _someone _to call and tell them what the hell was going on. Besides Yata and Totsuka, Bandou was the only one Fushimi really talked to, and still it was only occasionally that the raven haired teen would talk to the hooded Homra member. But still, Bandou at one point would've informally called Fushimi his _friend._ But not in front of the raven, of course, Fushimi would probably punch him.

Eric and Kosuke sat on one of the bar's couches, Anna between them. The strain had remained buried in Eric's shirt for comfort, though it seemed as if nothing could make the little girl stop crying.

It was 7:32 am when Kusanagi called.

Fushimi had passed away.

* * *

The day when he was buried it was raining. The Blue would have called it cliché, he would've said it was annoying, he would've scoffed at the flowers someone had decided to place on his grave, he would've rolled his eyes at the suit that adorned his body, he would complain about how Munakata had ordered for his saber to be put in his casket.

But he would be speechless at the amount of people who attended his funeral.

Scepter 4 members, Homra clansmen, old acquaintances from school, his parents he hadn't seen in years, even Yata's family had come, having known the Blue better than his own family.

Through the entire service, Yata had a dazed look on his face, as if detached from what was happening around him. Eric could only watch from a spot near the back, feeling out-of-place among the mourning crowd. He didn't feel anything about the death of the Blue, having never known Fushimi personally. The rest of Homra still thought of him as family, and all were in various states of grief. Chitose looked as if in pain, Bandou was crying, even Dewa continually wiped his eyes with his sleeve ("No, I am _not_ crying, baka!")

The service ended solemnly, the casket buried and the words to the crowd spoken by various people, Munakata and Kusanagi included in the list of speakers. The progression of mourners began to head to the funeral home to exchange silent words and tea cookies, but Yata remained glued in place, eyes locked on the gravestone.

Kusanagi noticed the teen's absence at once and went back for him. After another moment Anna tugged on Eric's shirt and began pulling him back to the grave site. When the two of them walked up, Yata was simply standing there, a sight to behold in his black funeral attire and dimmed flame. His hazel eyes were locked on the simple gravestone, _Fushimi Saruhiko _carved into the smooth surface. Shattered, that's how Eric chose to describe Yata.

Anna separated from Eric, striding to Yata's side and gently taking his hand. The teen looked down at the little girl, his face twisting into a pathetic attempt of trying not to cry. Kusanagi gently laid a hand on Yata's shoulder, silent, but there. Eric went over to stand beside the trio, taking Anna's other hand and just giving Yata a look, one that spoke of how they weren't going to let Yata suffer alone. Eric knew what it was like to suffer alone, it wasn't something he would suggest doing.

It was then that Yata cried. Drenched in the sky's tears, surrounded by people who cared and worried for him, standing at the grave of his best friend, it was too much. Yata fell to his knees, kneeling in the mud and overturned soil, bringing his hands to his face to viciously wipe away the tears that mixed with the rain.

He cried.

Anna wrapped her arms around Yata, burying her face into his shirt and undoubtedly crying as well. Kusanagi simply took a cigarette from his suit pocket and lit it, bringing it to his lips to take in a deep drag of nicotine. He glanced at Eric, who was thinking of the raven haired Blue he'd thought everyone hated.

The sound of falling rain and broken sobs filled the air. Cigarette smoke danced among the raindrops, and pain filled the corners of the four clansmen's minds.

Fushimi Saruhiko was dead.

* * *

That night, Eric lied in bed and found he couldn't sleep. His mind was at work, going from Fushimi to Yata to Mikoto to his Master to everyone in between.

Eric recalled Chitose one time explaining how people could find home within other people. The blond didn't understand what he meant exactly, but the womanizer explained it by saying "Sometimes another person's heart is more welcoming and warm than any home ever could become." He went on to explain that Homra had found home in each other, though some people held more of a certain person's heart than others. As he said this, Eric couldn't help but notice Chitose staring directly at Dewa.

Fushimi was a stray. He had no home, _never_ had any home. Until he met Yata. But Yata was strange, seeming to find home in many different people and places. How could Fushimi find home in someone who was so unstable? Yata was a stray as well, but he was used to being a stray, he didn't mind it too terribly. His home was the entire world, until he met Fushimi. Soon they were both completely reliant on each other, realizing that home was wherever the other happened to be.

Love is a strange thing.

When they joined Homra, Fushimi assumed Yata had found a new home. The raven himself wasn't willing to neither accept other people's hearts nor give out pieces of his heart, not unless it was to Yata. The rest of Homra saw him as withdrawn, but in all honesty Fushimi just wanted to keep Yata with him always, not having to share his precious Misaki with the group of delinquents.

Without knowing it, Fushimi had left Homra with Yata still being the only one he could find home in. He tried so desperately to find himself a new place, but nothing would compare to Yata's warmth and comfort. When Fushimi left, the biggest piece of Yata's heart was still locked on him. Love. He might've called it love.

But now Fushimi was dead. Yata was a stray. No Mikoto, no Totsuka, no Fushimi. He had no home. Eric's concern for the chestnut haired teen only increased. Being a stray was hard, much too hard for Yata to handle without a heart.

Eric didn't sleep that night.

* * *

Kosuke stared at a wall for the majority of the night, not even trying to sleep. When Eric decided to give up on rest, he joined his roommate on the couch, leaning his head on the redhead's shoulder. Kosuke didn't even budge, he seemed to not even notice.

Eric peered at his friend from the corner of his eye, trying to read his expression. Confused. Out of all things Kosuke could be feeling right now, confused was not what Eric expected. Sorrow, emptiness, anger maybe, but not confusion. The blond sighed, feeling confused at Kosuke's confusion.

"Oi, Eric," Kosuke's voice was barely audible, yet Eric heard it. "Do you think that maybe Fushimi could've lived if he had the will?"

Eric scrunched his eyebrows together. S_o the confusion continues._

"It sounds like you assume he _didn't_ have the will to live?" Eric clarified.

"No, he didn't." Kosuke sounded sure of himself.

"Who knows?" Eric sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to focus his mind on the conversation.

The blond felt his roommate shiver slightly. "We could've tried harder to include him, we could've made him feel at home, we could've told him not to leave, I could've-" Kosuke stopped as he found his throat constricting.

Eric weaved his fingers in with Kosuke's, giving his hand a comforting squeeze.

"There's nothing anyone could've done," the runt whispered.

For the second time that day, Eric watched as another person cried for the Blue.

* * *

As Eric comforted Kosuke, in an apartment complex nearer the bar, Yata sat against the door of his apartment.

He had gotten home late, having gone to the bar after the funeral. As he'd walked in the door, a sudden wave of fatigue made it impossible to go much further. He simply shut the door and leaned down against it, staring at some fixed point in the distance.

_Mikoto's dead, Totsuka's dead, _Yata thought to himself, unable to list the next member of the dead.

_"I think I made a mistake, Misaki," Fushimi smiled at Yata, brushing a hand across his friend's cheek. IV tubes seeped painkiller into his veins, his body lay broken and pale on the hospital bed."I should've never left you,"_

Yata had held the raven's hand, gently pressing a kiss into Fushimi's palm. The Blue had smiled, too weak to even attempt returning the action.

That was an hour before he died. Three days later, and Yata could still feel a phantom of warm hands caressing his face, still feel the burn of weary blue eyes staring into his own hazel ones.

_"I think I made a mistake by letting you leave," Yata had responded to his object of affection. "I'm so sorry, Saru, I-I l-lo-"_

It was then that Yata had started crying. And he'd been crying on and off since then, bursting into tears at random times.

_"It's okay, I do too," Fushimi whispered._

Yata raised a hand to his face and found he was crying, silent tears carving valleys into his cheeks. He simply sighed and let himself cry, knowing it was better to do so now than in front of the guys.

"I'm so sorry, Saru," Yata whispered to himself now, hugging his knees closer to his chest as he cried.

_"I love you too," Fushimi whispered._

Yata didn't sleep that night either. Nobody in Homra or Scepter 4 did.

Saruhiko was dead. He was stronger than the average man, more powerful than anyone could hope to become.

So who would be next?

Yata let out pitiful sobs of sorrow, longing, heartbreak.

_"I'm so sorry,"_


End file.
